Cover This

So it's been a while (You should read that in the voice of Arron Lewis from the band Staind...you know the song) since I have posted here. Damn near 3 years, maybe more I didn't pay close attention to the date before starting this post. I'd like to say I am back at it, but you know how that works around here, so I am not going to make any promises I can't keep. Would I like to continue bringing you great music? Hell yes! Am I lazy and forgetful? That also is a resounding "Hell yes!" I will say though that this recent bout of music fever that hit me has been lots of fun. that being said I will do my best to keep this trend going.

Firs of all I want to make you aware that the format here is going to change. Before I would link to a song that you could download. Unfortunately, the service I used to provide the downloads is no longer around. This sucks, but it is also a good thing. I no longer have to worry about providing links to songs and feeling bad about ripping the bands off in a sense. In the last 3 years technology has came a long way. We now have things like Spotify, and YouTube, and the good ol' Googler if you really want to find the music. So what is the format change you ask?   Nothing too crazy. Instead of posting the download files I am just going to make YouTube playlists (RopBopBlog actually has a YouTube channel now! That you can subscribe to! Wowee!)  I figure I'll still write blurbs and pick songs like I used to but I will link to the YouTube videos. Every few weeks I will make a playlist of the best of the best songs that I have posted. That way if you don't like to read my rambling, you don't have to. Of course I will be picking the songs for the playlists, however if you like a song a lot, make a comment on the post. I'll be sure to put it on the playlist. At some point, I will try my hand once again at making a RopBop Podcast, but it's on the back burner for the time being. As always I will be willing to take any suggestions you have for songs, and if you feel so inclined, write a little about the song and what/why you like it. I'll put it up (unless it's extremely crossing the line offensive). I don't want this blog to be all about my tastes in music. There are various ways you can get in contact with me. Leave a comment on this very blog, Send me an e-mail (link in sidebar) or if you know me facebook,text, or talk directly to my face (I mean if you want to talk to my feet you can do that too, but I would be really weirded out by that). That being said...let's get down to business!

I recently created a playlist of cover songs I had laying around. I love a good cover song! Some of these you may know, and some you may not. I would implore you to go and seek out the originals if you don't know a song. It just might lead you to discovering a new jam!

Cover This: A RopBop Cover Mix

I will post the playlist with links to the original songs below.

1. Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly - D.A.N.C.E. (Justice Cover)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCnBrrnOefs

2. Foo Fighters - Kiss The Bottle (Jawbreaker Cover)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZTvqUvgYCI

3. Little Richard - I Feel Pretty
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7BQRGXFLJs

4. Kepi Ghoulie - Kiss The Girl (Little Mermaid Cover)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXmLRHnoSAs

5. Joeseph Gordon-Levitt - I Don't Want To Live On The Moon (Seasme Street Cover)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIq8jLj5TzU

6. Post Modern Jukebox - Creep feat. Haley Reinhart (Radiohead Cover)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFkzRNyygfk

7. Antoine Dufour - Hide And Seek (Imogen Heap Cover)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4OLQB7ON9w

8. Regina Spektor - Chelsea Hotel No. 2 (Leonard Cohen Cover)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pekuZglq-Sg

9.Ellie Goulding - Tessalate (Alt-J Cover)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg6BwvDcANg

10. Lauren O'Connell - Graceland (Paul Simon Cover)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDXzLeFUkpc

11. The Gits - A Change Is Gonna Come (Sam Cooke Cover)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x31YyQqf2ys

12.Paramore - Use Somebody (Kings Of Leon Cover)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnhXHvRoUd0

13. The Protomen - I Drove All Night (Cindy Lauper Cover)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2y1TZXc5DiY

14. Metric - Don't Think Twice It's Aright (Bob Dylan Cover)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-Y3KfJs6T0

15. M. Ward - Rave On (Buddy Holly Cover)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IUV-QxwlRM

16. Schneider TM & Kptmichigan - The Light 3000 (The Smiths Cover)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-cD4oLk_D0

17. Seu Jorge - Life On Mars (David Bowie Cover)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v--IqqusnNQ

18. Taylor Swift - Riptide (Vance Joy Cover)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ_1HMAGb4k

19. Wye Oak - Mother (Danzig Cover)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Gq8LeKfuiM

20. Miley Cyrus - Summertime Sadness (Lana Del Rey Cover)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVjsGKrE6E8

21. Lissie - Ship Song (Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Cover)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4VWKbZkIcM

It is not dead, It's heart just beats at a slower pace

It's been a while sing I have done anything with this blog. It might be a long time before I make another post. I really have about a million excuses I could give, but who wants to read all that drivel. So I'll just say I am sorry and move on. Sorry.


Lately I have been into this band from New Jersey Called The Front Bottoms. I think the reason their music resonates with me is because it takes me back to my pop punk roots. I consider the punk phase in my music genealogy, the point where I really started to branch out and become interested in music.The Front Bottoms music is filled a happy sadness that is really found in young adulthood. The wild rebellious shell that screams I don't give a fuck on the outside, but if you manage to even so much as crack the seam you would be flooded with a mess of emotional garbage. I honestly wouldn't even consider their music to be pop punk, but for some reason it brings me back to those bands that helped me get through my late teens/early 20's. Those nights when I was pining over some girl, or mad at the world for God knows what reason. They make me miss those days, even though I really don't.

Tonight I was lurking on Youtube and I came across both of these videos from the Black Cab Sessions. I love it when live music is so good it gives me goosebumps.

 
“Shut up…let me tell you, LET ME. Every time I look at your face or even remember it, it wrecks me. And the way you are with me and you’re just fun and you shit all over me and you make fun of me and you’re real. I don’t have enough time in any day to think about you enough...I don’t even think about women anymore. I think about you.”
― Louis C.K.

 

Podtastic

Surprise! It's the first episode of The RopBop Radio Show! Edit: Surprise it's no longer avaliable...maybe someday I'll repost it when I have time. If you really want to hear it, shoot me an e-mail.

through the eyes of a shrimp and the ears of a human

Mantis Shrimp
Joshua Tillman began his music career as the drummer for the Philadelphia-based band Saxon Shore until 2004. Tillman then moved to Seattle and began opening for Damien Juardo and started making solo albums on CD-Rs and handing them out at shows. With is two solo records issued by Keep Recordings and a third from Fargo Records he then joined the band Fleet Foxes, as the drummer. Tillman left the band this Januray and started work on his new moniker Father John Misty. His new album Fear Fun was released this past May. I especially like the video for the song "Hollywood Cemetery Sings" because it features the beautiful (well she's sort of creepy looking in this video) Aubrey Plaza. Also known as April Ludgate from Parks And Recreation.
Father John Misty - Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings


I decided recently started watching Battlestar Galactica again. I decided that it is time to finally get through the series. Not because I am bored with it, but because I have other series I want to start watching. I once again have to reiterate how great that show is. Seriously it's a lot more than just spaceships and robots. Don't get me wrong there is a lot of that, but it's got so much drama going on and the characters are interesting and deep. Oh. and the plot twists, my Gods (thats a Battlestar joke), so good. Princess Chelsea gets it. You should get Princess Chelsea.
Princess Chelsea - Frack


I was listening to WYCE's Radiolab podcast today and they were talking about color. I learned that the Mantis Shrimp has 16 color receptors, where humans have only 3. This means that That shrimp can see way more colors than what we can. It was really interesting. At the end of the show they played this amazing cover song written by James Perrotto. The song was first recorded in 1959 by DeWayne Blackwell but became popular that same year by a band called the Fleetwoods.
Busman's Holiday - Mr.Blue (With Erin Tobey)


Frank Ocean is a member of hip hop crew Odd Future. He has been a ghostwritter for acts like Brandy and John Legend and was featured on the Jay-Z & Kanyes West album Watch The Throne. He just released a solo album called channel Orange and from the buzz that I have been hearing this is definitely an album to pick up. It's filled with chilled out soulful R&B, with intelligent and creative lyrics that you normally wouldn't come to expect from a modern day R&B act. I had the chance to hear a few tracks off of the album and I am surely going to pick this up when I get a chance, Gives me a reason to cash in my iTunes gift card. I knew I was saving it for something special.
Frank Ocean - Bad Religion


I randomly came across this website that linked to tons of small bands and their bandcamp pages. I went crazy grabbing up any free stuff I could find. One of the finds was this band called Sledding With Tigers. I was going to pass them over but a tiger is my favorite animal, so I thought why not. Well I am really glad I decided to do so because this band is great. There is something that I love about Folkish sounding music and angsty lyrics. It makes you want to get drunk and sing every word from the top of your lungs. This band will make you want to do just that. If you are a fan of Defiance, OH, The Ghost Mice or Andrew Jackson Jihad, grab a sled and go downhill with these cats. If you like this song head over to their bandcamp page where you will find a SWEET synth pop version of this song. Oh by the way, they are super nice people...see next blurb.
Sledding With Tigers - Homeless


I did something I usually don't do which is add a band on facebook and tell them how much I like them. I added Sledding With Tigers, and let them know I really dug their band, and that I would spread the word about them in Michigan. They said they really liked Michigan and also sent me this link. Which I like just as much. Do these bands a solid and check them out. If you like them let them know, go to their shows if they are in your area, or buy their music if you can.
Spoonboy - All The Kids In Michigan

The letter Q A.K,A, the second lonliest letter

The letter Q is going to be all videos. Why? Because, there aren't many bands that start with Q that aren't well known. So with this "Q"uandry I "Q"uit my "Q"uest to fill my "Q"uota of downloadable tunes, but I am "Q"uite certain you will enjoy this "Q"ueue of "Q"uality videos. After this sentence I will "quickly" stop this ""Q"uaint use of "Q"uotations and remain "Q"uiet from any further "Q"uirky "Q"uips.

Before she was an actress on TV, A spokesperson for Cover Girl, or a star on the big screen, Queen Latifah was a Hip Hop rapper, and a pretty skilled rapper at that. It's quite an easy thing to forget. I know I did.
Queen Latifah - U.N.I.T.Y.


I wish I had a time machine. I'd go back to the late 60's and early 70's when Rock and Roll was being born. It was exciting, dangerous, and fresh. You knew that you were seeing something revolutionary when watching a band. Quicksilver Messenger Service isn't widely known, but it's not super unknown either. Though the band was never as successful as acts, like Jefferson Airplane or The Grateful Dead, they did play a large role in creating the psychedelic rock genre. The name is one that is unique and hard to forget. Here is a quote I found on Wikipedia from guitarist John Cipollina on the creation of the band name:

"Jim Murray and David Freiberg came up with the name. Me and Freiberg were born on the same day, and Gary and Greg were born on the same day, we were all Virgos and Murray was a Gemini. And Virgos and Geminis are all ruled by the planet Mercury. Another name for Mercury is Quicksilver. And then, Quicksilver is the messenger of the Gods, and Virgo is the servant, so Freiberg says 'Oh, Quicksilver Messenger Service'."

Quicksilver Messenger Service - Mona


I first heard of Question through the South By South West web site. This was not the song I first heard, he has a great song called In My Chevy that I wanted to post. However since there wasn't a great video for the song, I chose this instead. If your wondering, yes I dance like a white boy quite frequently.


I have posted a song from Quantic before no my Golden Shores & Red Shoulders mix. You probably heard his music before on an iPod commercial. This is one I have been waiting to feature for quite a while. The Latin flair and tropical groove will have you craving to be somewhere hot in no time flat. I would also suggest the work he did with Alice Russell. She is a great singer and the smooth sounds make for some purely enjoyable listening.
Quantic and his Combo Barbaro - Un Canto A Mi Tierra


A dark classic that never gets old.
Queensryche - Silent Lucidity

Su-hu-mer Nia-hights

So as promised here is the first "summer night" mix titled We Only Come Out At Night: A RopBop Summer Night Mix. I took the name of a Smashing Pumpkins song, which was going to be included in this mix but, I couldn't find anywhere to fit in in the flow of the mix. I also recently discovered that I can make an embedded playlist. that way you can preview the mix before you decide if you wan it. I had something similar set up where I linked to Youtube videos, but this is much easier for me, and for you. Enjoy!


We Only Come Out At Night: A RopBop Summer Night Mix

01. Shimmering Stars - Sun's Going Down
02. The Radio Dept. - David
03. Damien Jurado - Nothing is the News
04. Kid Cudi - The Mood
05. Gold & Youth - Time To Kill
06. Hum - Stars
07. We Were Promised Jetpacks - Quiet Little Voices
08. The Promise Ring - A Picture Postcard
09. My Morning Jacket - First Light
10. Herman Dune - My Baby is Afraid of Sharks
11. Ben Howard - Old Pine
12. Said The Whale - Howe Sounds
13. St. Vincent And The National - Sleep All Summer
14. The Microphones - I felt Your Size
15. Karen O and the Kids - Hideaway
16. Little Wings - Look At What The Light Did Now
17. Rouge Wave - Eyes
18. Toe - Goodbye (Feat. Toki Asako)
19. Maxence Cyrin - Where Is My Mind Piano (Pixies Cover)

The letter P and a whole lot of free

Paleo has a pretty interesting "how I got to where I am" story. To make is short and sweet it goes like this. Kid tires of low level job decides to write music. Kid becomes broke and lives out of his car while traveling around trying to get gigs. Kid decides to write a song a day, with a specific set of rules. Kid succeeds, gets record deal. Kid becomes a man along the journey. And what a man this is. You can listen to his song diary and view the lyrics to each song on his website. Make sure to stop by Partisan Records to pick up his two releases as well (click on the band name below it'll take you right there).
Paleo - World's Smallest Violin

I was once a huge emo and hardcore music fan. I still am to some extent but not like I was. This is one of the standout tracks from a not so well known band of both genres. I would liken this song to a ride on an old wooden roller coaster. It's an exciting jerky ride that will shake you up. When the ride comes to a stop and you come down off of the adrenaline high you realize your body just can't take that abuse.
Planes Mistaken for Stars - Copper And Stars

Speaking of adrenaline, I found this mellow post-metal track through the Williams Street Records "Metal Swim" compilation. Just in case you don't know who Williams Street are they are a huge force behind the programing for the Cartoon Network show Adult Swim. They are constantly throwing out these compilations, and they are always fantastic, and full of fresh new artists ranging from hip hop, to indie, to metal. There are quite a few free downloads on their site, so it's worth looking into. Just a note, that not all the tracks on Metal Swim as toned down, or without the screaming vocals, like this song is. I chose this one because I figured it would be more listenable for everyone. I mean, come on it's is called "Metal Swim", not "Wussy Swim". If you like Pleican make sure to click on the band name below to be transported to instrumental metal heaven (A.K.A. the bands bandcamp page.)
Pelican - Inch Above Sand

If your not familiar with the term Nerdcore I'd like to direct your attention to a great website that can give you a taste of the dorkside of hip hop. The site is called Nerdcore Now and it's home to some of the geekiest rappers you ever heard. Don't be fooled though even though they spit rhymes about computers and silly things, the artists have tremendous skills. I suggest you click on this link Nerdcore Now Vol. 1 which is a free download, and join in on the fun.
PovertyMan - Rap Cliche


I found this reggae gem on the Bomboclat! Island Soak 2 :: A Rocksteady Mixtape which was created by one of my favorite music blogs Aquarium Drunkard. You should check them out! The mix is available for download and I promise it'll be an instant go to for the summer.
Prince Buster - Move Over


Pink Nasty A.K.A. Sara Beck is folk rock princess. Her brutal honesty shines through her songs and her lyrics have razor sharp wit. I would recommend making a stop by her website because she has graciously provided not one, not two, but three free albums for our listening pleasure. I have yet to hear the latest album, but I have heard Mold The Gold. If it is similar, than I am sure it's nothing but spectacular. This song is off one of the album Mold The Gold and it features guest vocals by Bonnie "Prince" Billy. Treat yourself and have a listen to the prince and princess of indie folk. I love it when a blurb comes together!
Pink Nasty - Don't Ever Change(No Longer Available)